Uganda Pulls Out of Invictus Games Citing Respect for King Charles
- Uganda has officially withdrawn from the upcoming Invictus Games following a military chief's public statements regarding the royal status of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
- The announcement from General Kainerugaba followed a formal letter sent on behalf of the King.
- In order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere, Uganda hereby withdraws from the...
Uganda has officially withdrawn from the upcoming Invictus Games following a military chief’s public statements regarding the royal status of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced the abrupt departure to prevent any perception of opposition to King Charles III, whom the military leadership deeply reveres.
Military Chief Cites Royal Status in Withdrawal Decision
The announcement from General Kainerugaba followed a formal letter sent on behalf of the King. That directive clarified that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain private citizens and do not possess working royal status or the right to use their HRH titles. According to reporting by The Times, General Kainerugaba expressed concern over internal discussions regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, describing his motivation as a need to quash what he termed the “Harry-Meghan nonsense” within the Ministry of Defence.
In order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere, Uganda hereby withdraws from the Invictus Games. We shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba
General Kainerugaba stated in an overnight post on X.
Veteran royal reporter Richard Palmer characterized the intervention as extraordinary, given the diplomatic groundwork laid earlier in the year. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the withdrawal. However, royal sources noted that King Charles actively encourages all projects and organizations that support wounded service personnel.
Previous Participation and Invictus Games Context
The sudden exit marks a sharp reversal from July 7, when Uganda’s participation was celebrated during a ceremony at Chatham House in London. Uganda’s defence minister, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, posed for photographs alongside Prince Harry, accepting a commemorative plaque that officially inducted the country as the 26th competing nation and the first from east Africa. The Paralympics-style sporting event, founded by Prince Harry in 2014, is scheduled to hold its next competition in Birmingham next July. Organizers for the Invictus Games stated that they had received no official diplomatic notification regarding the withdrawal. A spokesperson for the event confirmed that representatives were actively seeking clarification through their contacts in Uganda.
